Inequality is bad. But, is equality possible?

 "Chile has -- at least from afar -- been heralded as a regional success story for its solid governance and investor-friendly environment. It's free market model has has driven down poverty from 31 percent in 2000 to 6.4 percent in 2017, according to the World Bank, and made the copper-rich Andean nation the highest ranked country in Latin America on the United Nations Human Development Index," wrote Mark Johanson. But, "This South American nation's recent referendum saw 78% voting to change its constitution, in force for 40 years," wrote Rajrishi Singhal. The referendum was held after widespread, often violent, protests against a rise of 10 Chilean pesos in bus fares and 30 pesos in fares of the Metro in Santiago. The fare hikes ignited long-standing anger due to "widening income inequality, poor healthcare and education infrastructure, and perennially low wages and pensions, among other things". "Last year, the United Naions Economic Commission for Latin America estimated that nearly a quarter of total income goes to 1% of Chile's population. To cover the high cost of living, Chileans are greatly indebted. The Central Bank found last year that on average nearly three-fourths of household income was used to pay debt," wrote the New York Times. Socialism was written into the Indian Constitution by Mrs Indira Gandhi during the Emergency, wrote Salis Tripathi, and has been followed by every political party. In keeping with socialist philosophy India has a multitude of social schemes to help the poor. And yet, "India's richest 1 percent hold more than four-times the wealth held by 953 million people who make up for the bottom 70 percent of the country's population, while the total wealth of all billionaires is more than the full-year budget, a new study said." And "78 percent of the adult population have personal wealth less than $10,000 or about Rs 7,30,000 according to the latest Credit Suisse report on global wealth". "A nutrition survey by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has found that 35 percent of children under the age of 5 years in the country are stunted, while 17 percent are wasted and 33 percent are underweight." India's credit rating is BBB-, which is one stop above junk rating, while that of Chile is A-. "Corruption, cronyism, nepotism, investment and divestment based on patronage and not profit. These are what have kept India down," wrote Matt Kilcoyne. A study showed that the ruling party approves funds for local resources if the local legislator is from the same party but withholds funds if the legislator is from another party because then he will get the votes. Does Chile want to be like India?